Morven Kitchen Garden Coordinator (Student Wage)

University of Virginia•Charlottesville, VA

19h•$18 - $20•Onsite

About The Position

Morven Kitchen Garden is looking for an experienced UVA student passionate about sustainable agriculture and community outreach to be one of two MKG Coordinators to assist the Morven Kitchen Garden Manager. In this paid position, the coordinator will gain hands-on experience in farm management: crop selection and season planning, soil health, resource management, budgeting, events and business administration. The coordinator will help the Morven Kitchen Garden Manager in all aspects of farm management, including scheduling shifts for the farm crew of part-time interns, and supervising farm crew shifts and volunteer events to ensure work tasks are being completed. This role is grounded in the three overarching goals of the Morven Sustainability Lab (MSL) Strategic Action Plan: EXPLORE (the future matters), EXPERIENCE (today matters), and CO-CURATE (the past matters). UVA students from all disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply. This is a paid position, 10-15 hours/week during the academic year, and up to 30 hours per week during the summer. EXPLORE (the future matters): Create and support experimental labs and classrooms dedicated to discovering models, practices, and narratives that renew our connections to one another and to other species, propelling us toward a sustainable future. Coach and mentor student crew members in planting, weeding, harvesting, and operating farm equipment (including weed whackers and tractors), building practical skills in small-scale sustainable agriculture. Assist the Morven faculty/staff team in executing the MSL Strategic Action Plan, contributing to Morven’s role as a living laboratory for sustainable land practices. Be part of a student leadership team that imagines new initiatives and coordinates with Morven staff on workshops, guest speakers, and other programming that advances MSL’s sustainability mission. EXPERIENCE (today matters): Immerse our community in meaningful encounters and experiences with nature in Morven’s varied landscapes, enabling us to flourish—individually and collectively—today and into the future. Engage the community through volunteer coordination, educational workshops, events, and food security outreach, creating meaningful connections between people and Morven’s landscape. Be an ambassador to the world of sustainable food, land stewardship, and more to the 500+ volunteers which serve at our garden annually. Wash, weigh, and pack fresh produce for distribution through UVA Dine wholesale, local food insecurity efforts, and our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, directly connecting the UVA community with locally grown food. Manage professional communications (phone and email) and CSA member enrollment, serving as a welcoming point of contact for all who engage with Morven Kitchen Garden. Create and share social media posts and website content to share Morven’s story with a broader audience. CO-CURATE (the past matters): Recognize, respect, and extend Morven’s landscape biography—including the histories of its past residents and their land labor, land uses, and land practices—as contributing to Morven’s present beauty, land values, and cultural meanings, as well as its future-oriented sustainability practices. Maintain accurate logs and organized records in compliance with GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certification, contributing to an archive that honors the ongoing story of Morven’s land stewardship. Capture photos and videos of programs and save them to the MKG archive, preserving a visual record of Morven’s evolving land practices and community connections for future stewards.

Requirements

Current full-time undergraduate or graduate student at UVA
Must have reliable means of transportation to and from their work shift each day.
Must be able to interact and communicate respectfully with persons of all backgrounds.
Ability to safely lift 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in farming and/or gardening.
Prior experience in sustainability and/or natural resource management
Experience leading or managing others in a professional setting.
Ability to motivate others to accomplish a shared goal.
Passion for educating others about sustainable agriculture.
Attention to detail, good listening, and communication skills.
The ability to work both as part of a team and independently.

Responsibilities

Crop selection and season planning
Soil health
Resource management
Budgeting
Events and business administration
Scheduling shifts for the farm crew of part-time interns
Supervising farm crew shifts and volunteer events to ensure work tasks are being completed
Coach and mentor student crew members in planting, weeding, harvesting, and operating farm equipment (including weed whackers and tractors), building practical skills in small-scale sustainable agriculture.
Assist the Morven faculty/staff team in executing the MSL Strategic Action Plan, contributing to Morven’s role as a living laboratory for sustainable land practices.
Be part of a student leadership team that imagines new initiatives and coordinates with Morven staff on workshops, guest speakers, and other programming that advances MSL’s sustainability mission.
Engage the community through volunteer coordination, educational workshops, events, and food security outreach, creating meaningful connections between people and Morven’s landscape.
Be an ambassador to the world of sustainable food, land stewardship, and more to the 500+ volunteers which serve at our garden annually.
Wash, weigh, and pack fresh produce for distribution through UVA Dine wholesale, local food insecurity efforts, and our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, directly connecting the UVA community with locally grown food.
Manage professional communications (phone and email) and CSA member enrollment, serving as a welcoming point of contact for all who engage with Morven Kitchen Garden.
Create and share social media posts and website content to share Morven’s story with a broader audience.
Maintain accurate logs and organized records in compliance with GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certification, contributing to an archive that honors the ongoing story of Morven’s land stewardship.
Capture photos and videos of programs and save them to the MKG archive, preserving a visual record of Morven’s evolving land practices and community connections for future stewards.